The Touch and Go
by GoCryEmoBoy
Summary: Willow's spell to erase a memory from Tara goes horribly wrong, erasing a portion of the Scoobie gangs memory. Once they've come to, will the witches be able to move passed this. W/T Rated M for later dates.
1. Prologue No Signs

The Summer air felt thick in Willow's throat as she walked briskley back to the Summer's household. The night had been long after that stupid spell had gone horribly wrong. _How could I have been so.. dense? _The redhead thought while she adjusted her backpack straps and set her jaw. She had had her reasons, whether they were good or bad. It seemed the black magicks were becoming more intense inside her than her light magicks and this idea or thought was disturbing enough.

Willow stopped abruptly for a moment and her mind fled back to that day... she remembered the way Tara had looked at her imploringly trying to convey feelings she had no comprehension of. The fear about the power she knew the other girl had before it had even settled into her mind her self.

_Tara sat on the bed near her redhead but not close enough by any means. Willow sat crosslegged urging the brunette with her eyes to speak._

_"It frightens me how powerful you're getting.." Willow flinched._

_"That's a weird word.. my power frightens you?"...._

"WILLOW!" She looked up instantly seeing Tara standing on the porch step while she was just about to walk by the house all together. Seeing the expression on Tara's face made her wish she had.

"We need to talk." The girl turned on her heal and entered the door leaving it wide open. Willow took a deep breath and swiftly walked up to the house. It was empty all but Tara standing in the living room with her arms crossed and an expression set in anger.

"Tare.. I know I made.." She was instantly cut off.

"How dare you," The sentence was simple but its impact was fierce. " Or wait, should we even waste the time on talking about this.. I mean if I won't remember it later right?" The red head set down her bag, her eyes stinging.

"Tara I was just trying to help.." Willow looked to Tara who shook her head, lip trembling. "The magick it went wrong.. that's all." Tara then shook her head infatically still.

"No Willow it was not the magick it was the witch, trying to erase my mind completely what if it had worked.. What if Buffy didn't know she was the slayer, you end up in some odd relationship with Xander while Anya and Giles have their little family thing with Spike," Tara made a face. "And Dawn.. we could have lost her too." Willow wiped her eyes.

"I wanted to make things better.."  
"You know what I've dealt with.. I've been lied to before.. using magick to erase a part of my life I could have done myself then I wouldn't have to remember them but with us?" The woman gestured between the two and finally let her hand fall limp at her side. "How dare you.. deceive me like that, if I had known.." She stopped. A clouded expression passed across Willow's face. _ If she had known what?... If she had known she would have left by now? If she had known she wouldn't have started with me in the first place. _Suddenly all the pain of this idea struck so deeply. It wasn't only Tara, it was Buffy.. it was Xander.. Dawn, Giles, Anya, Spike... Herself. All were involved, and all were toyed with. It could have ended in horrible horrible..-ness. And she made it happen. In a moment she shot upstairs, grabbing her wallet from the desk and leaving the rest behind.

"Willow where are you going?" Tara was at the bottom of the stairs looking up with a mixed expression of muffled anger and concern.. _I said something again... _

"Away." Willow said through clenched teeth as she ascended the stairs quickly nearly causing Tara to trip over. Tara's expression grew to one of shock instantly.

"What do you mean away?!" She made to grab Willow's arm but the red head mearly raised her hand uttering "Thicken.." And Tara was immediatly held back by a thick barrier of magick. She looked at the other woman with tears finally running down her cheeks.

"You're leaving me.. I wanted to talk Willow.. Just talk.. I don't want you to.."

"You've made your point," Willow stated. "It's not just you who's frightened now." Willow turned and walked out the door leaving Tara to stand calling after her to no avail until her voice was hoarse. Then she sat on the floor and waited for someone to come home hoping Willow would come to her senses.

She waited and soon Buffy wandered bruised after a days work into the house with Dawn.. Xander followed with Anya.. Spike even showed up somewhere but the day was a blur. No Willow. No signs.


	2. The Letting Go

_"Tara.. baby?" Willow called as she entered their dorm. The fight the previous night had been explosive. The first real one they ever had. Even to the point where Willow walked out needing space and calm to be able to return and handle the situation as it was. _

_The moment Tara heard Willow's voice she spat the last remains of toothpaste into the sink, wiped her mouth and entered their common area looking at the red head quietly. Willow tilted her head slightly, thankful that the blonde was still there. She walked forth briskly..._

"_Tara.. I'm sorry," She began reaching out for her girlfriends hands. "Last night I blew up, and I know that I said some pretty hurtful things and I'm really sorry..." Tara's eyes filled with unshed tears. The red head looked to her imploringly and the blonde nodded with trembling lips and lunged, wrapping her arms around Willow's neck and kissing her shoulder softly._

"_Me t-too.." Willow smiled, glad to be back in her girlfriends loving embrace._

"_Let's never fight again.."_

Four days later Tara sat in their room on the bed gazing around the empty area. Every item in that room made her miss Willow even more. With no phone call home and with no way to contact the redhead she had successfully evaded their searching. Tara sensed someone approaching and looked towards the partially open door.

"Tare?" Buffy made herself known as she tapped the door a little and opened it up a bit more to peek in.

"Hey Buffy.. wana sit?" Tara watched as the blonde walk in and sit down on the bed a little sideways to look at her while she folded her hands on her lap. They shared a short silence before Buffy opened her mouth to speak.

"You know, Will was way out of line with the whole memory poof thing," Tara half nodded her head. "But I'm shocked and surprised that she just ran out of here like that.."

"She's become obsessed with her magick, she can't stop using it... I mean just the other day she couldn't take the time to close the curtains," The woman stated while leaning back into pillows and brushing loose bangs from her forehead and behind her ear. "I want my Willow.. my bookworm.. not a sorceress." Buffy reached out and put a hand on Tara's which lay limp on the bed. Tara looked up and met Buffy's gaze.

"We will find her." It was just that simple to Buffy and Tara did let loose a little smile but in her head she was almost positive; Willow wouldn't be found unless she wanted to be and right now, she did not at all want to be found.

Meanwhile at the airport Willow laid her bags down on the conveyor belt, every few seconds she looked over her shoulders and the woman behind the desk looked at her sympathetically. _Oh great.. now she thinks I'm running away from something.. _The red head thought. The sympathetic security guard reached out after wanding Willow.

"Are you in any danger honey? A man following you?" She asked pointedly. Willow gave the guard a horrified look and answered _No!!_. At that moment Giles came running through the airport at top speed nearly knocking the red head over.

"What the blood _hell_ do you think you're doing!" It wasn't a question. _No doubt about that.. _Willow thought.

"Leaving Giles." She stated with the security guard just shaking her head. Giles took off his glasses and pointed a direct finger in Willow's face.

"Willow, you are out of control, you cannot run away from this." Willow grabbed her bags and listened as her flight was called. The people behind her began to get up form their seats and move towards the boarding gates. She looked at Giles sadly and he seemed to try to understand in some way.

"I'm going to get rid of it, I don't want this strength or power... It was given to me and I just want to return it so someone who does have control can have it.. I just want to be Willow," She stepped forward giving the older man a hug, one which he eventually returned after a moment of surprise. "Please.. don't tell anyone, let them let me go."

"I'll miss you." He said softly while they pulled apart and she gave him a sad smile. She turned and got in line, which moved quickly and before she knew it she was heading down a long lined corridor. Giles watched her go with a proud expression. _Finally... She gets it._

Willow sat in her window seat and looked at the airport.

"Bye Sunnydale." She gave a little wave that if you caught would have looked like nothing more than an accidental gesture. And as the plane left the ground she sighed.. _Bye Tare.. love you baby._


End file.
